Alstom has rolled out the 28th repainted Class 390 Pendolino train from its Widnes railway facility in the UK.
The company will repaint 56 such Class 390 Pendolino trains, under a €28m contract awarded by Angel Trains in 2016.
The repainting of the remaining 28 vehicles is scheduled to be completed by December next year.
Alstom UK and Ireland Fleet Services managing director Piers Wood said: “We are very proud of the job we’re doing with this repaint. These iconic Pendolinos are the backbone of Britain’s railways, and this will allow them to continue serving the millions of passengers they carry every year.”
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Introduced into service in 2003, the high-speed Class 390 Pendolino units are operated by Virgin Trains to provide services between London, Glasgow, Manchester, Birmingham, Liverpool and key stations between them.
The deployment of these vehicles is said to reduce journey times on the line.
The fleet is undergoing a complete repaint to prevent corrosion and ensure protection against possible wear and tear.
The repainting works include stripping back the cars, including exterior fittings, carrying out minor repairs and a complete repainting.
Overall, each train takes two weeks to complete repainting works.
Angel Trains chief operating officer David Jordan said: “We are delighted with the progress of the Pendolino repainting project.
“We know that this transformative work, led by our partners at Alstom, will both improve the longevity of this Class 390 fleet and benefit British rail passengers for years to come.”
The Widnes facility has been selected to complete the task as it is the only site in the UK to accommodate the full length of the nine and 11 car trains end-to-end.
It is located at the middle of the Manchester and Liverpool rail cluster.
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